Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrrington

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Year of Release: 2011
ISBN: 9781921794094
Source: Purchased
Number of Pages: 376
Harper Scott's older sister has always been the perfect one- so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone's sorry, but no one can explain why. 

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister's ashes into his and her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She'll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going- California. 

Enter Jake Tolan. He's a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper's sister. But Jake had a connection with June and when he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn't the only one hiding something. Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper's life upside down- again.

I have begun to notice that whenever I walk into a bookstore, there are so many books on vampire romances and all the mythology that goes with it that I am starting to get a little irritated that that is all authors are writing about these days. Craving something different, I went into a bookstore looking for something new and original to read and found Saving June. Now, have you ever read one of those books that keep you up night? Not in a scary way, but just that the story is so deep and meaningful, you can't take your mind off it? Well, Saving June is one of those books. During the time I was reading this book, I woke up every morning and instead of getting out of bed and making breakfast like I usually do, I would just roll over to my night-stand, turn on the lamp and read Saving June until noon. It is incredible the way the way the book goes into just the right amount of detail at all the right times, the way the characters seem so real, the way the story actually has a meaning, can express to people and is actually worth something. Is this making any sense?

This book taught me a lot about the kinds of bonds between siblings, that you actually have to experience this kind of love toward a brother or sister before you can completely understand it. Having a younger sister myself is great and having this relationship is so important to me. Yes, we fight a lot but the truth is we love each other. I am so protective of my sister and I never want anything to hurt her so I could relate to Harper in this book. And I think that's very important in a story, that the reader feels they can relate to the character. Saving June is an amazing debut.

It is one of those books you can't put down, no matter how hard you try and it is a story that will stick with you long after you turn the final page. I can't recommend it highly enough and I can assure you that you will want to hug this book when you finish it!

Forever

Hey guys! I am very excited to tell you that the last book in the Shiver trilogy by Maggie Steifvater has finally been released. I am a big fan of these books! I read the first two in the series, Shiver and Linger, and loved them. I am sad though that the story has come to an end, but relieved to know what happens after months of suspense. Once I actually get around to reading Forever, I will write my usual blog on it. This may take a while due to the many large piles of stacked up books in my closet that are yet to be read. 
Maggie Steifvater has also written another popular series (it consists of only two books so far) Lament and Ballad. (I will get around to reading those, I promise!)

You can check out Maggie's online website here by clicking on the link http://maggiestiefvater.com. I must take a moment here to acknowledge what a beautiful website it is, too! 

Review: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth is in her thirties, settled in a large house with a husband who loves her and wants to start a family. But she doesn't want any of it. A bitter divorce and a rebound fling later, Elizabeth emerges battered, yet determined to find what she's been missing. So she begins her quest. In Rome, she indulges herself in food. In India, she finds enlightenment through scrubbing temple floors. Finally, in Bali, a toothless medicine man reveals a new path to peace, leaving her ready to love again.
What a story! Eat Pray Love was an amazing journey and I highly recommend it to all women. This biography on Elizabeth Gilbert gives us an insight into a normal person's life, not just a made up character. Gilbert is witty, funny, talented and dedicated, dropping everything to travel and find whatever part of herself she is missing. She is determined and passionate and ready to take on the world! Gilbert is such a positive role model to women everywhere. She shows us that life is not perfect and it doesn't have to be. Break-ups happen and sometimes we don't always make the right decisions. But what fun is life if you don't mess it up sometimes? They say you learn from your mistakes, so lets make some! Sorry, I've gotten completely off topic here. Anyway, what I'm trying to get across in this post is that nobody's life is perfect and we can learn this from Elizabeth Gilbert's amazing story. She is a beautiful person and Eat Pray Love is a beautiful book.
My rating: 9/10
Eat Pray Love is now a major motion picture and available to own on DVD. 
Click the link below to visit Elizabeth Gilbert's official website.
http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/

Review: Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Title: Beautiful Malice
Author: Rebecca James
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year of Release: 2010
ISBN: 9781742376820
Source: Purchased
Number of Pages: 283
Katherine has moved away from her shattered family to start afresh in Sydney. There she keeps her head down until she is befriended by the charismatic, party loving Alice, who brings her out of her shell. But there is a dark side to Alice, something seductive, yet threatening. And as Katherine learns the truth about Alice, their tangled destinies spiral to a shocking ending.

Fast-paced, absorbing and utterly gripping, Beautiful Malice is a sexy thriller that will have you feverishly turning the pages. This novel was great and very enjoyable. Alice is a fantastic heroine, someone who I think we all want to be, but are just afraid to admit it. Katherine and Alice are completely different people, but when they merge, the novel takes a fascinating twist. Full of fun, lovable characters and a creative plot, Beautiful Malice is sure to get your heart pumping. So find a nice spot on the couch and curl up with this one. A book to read in one sitting!

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Tilte: Bloodlines
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Penguin Group
Year of Release: 2011
ISBN: 9781921518881
Source: Purchased
Number of Pages: 421
Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans ans vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.
When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathising with vampires. And now she has to live with one.
The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're in hiding, the drama is only just beginning. 
A big fan of the Vampire Academy books, the first novel in the spin-off series, Bloodlines, was an amazing book written by a very talented author. The book had everything from romance and action to mystery and suspense. If you have read the Vampire Academy series already, you would know about the epic battles that go on between the two types of vampires; Moroi and Strigoi. The Moroi vampires are mortal and are able to yield one of the five types of magic; water, earth, fire, air or spirit. The Strigoi however, are evil and twisted and do their very best to attack and kill the Moroi when they get the chance. Luckily, the dhampirs (people who are part human, part Moroi) are around to act as bodyguards and are more commonly referred to as guardians. 
In Bloodlines, the story is given from Sydney Sage, an Alchemist and a fairly new character first introduced to us in Blood Promise, the fourth novel in the Vampire Academy series. After an attack on Jill Mastrano, the Moroi queen's half sister, Sydney is called in as Jill's bodyguard and protector as Jill is forced to go into hiding at a private boarding school in Palm Springs, California. 
The novel includes a few characters from the original series including; Adrian Ivashkov, Eddie Castile and shortly in the beginning, Rose Hahthaway and Abe Mazur. So many surprising twists and I'm sure readers just wanted to punch Keith in the face at so many parts of the book! He was an idiot. There are unexpected romances, ones that I'm sure many of you predicted (Sydney and Adrian *cough*) but it is an amazing book!
The highly awaited novel is finally here and will not disappoint!
Visit the official Bloodlines website: http://www.bloodlinesseries.com/
or visit Richelle Mead's website where you can keep up to date on all her new books and appearances: http://richellemead.com/

Review: Girl Saves Boy by Steph Bowe

The book tells the story of a young girl Jewel Valentine and the boy she saves from drowning in a lake, Sacha Thomas. The story goes back and forth between the two character's points of views and, I must say, is beautifully written.When the two meet, Sacha is suffering from terminal cancer and Jewel is still coping with the death of her brother. Both characters are having a tough time at home and can relate to each other in certain ways. The story is both witty and charming and had me eagerly turning pages until I reached the end. Along with lovable characters and a great plot, this book is one of the best I have read in a while. Girl Saves Boy was a touching story and I recommend it highly to those who have not already read it.

Rating: 8/10

Click on the link to see Steph Bowe's online blog 'Hey Teenager!' http://heyteenager.blogspot.com/